Sepang to Host Bahrain-Branded Grand Prix in One-Off Malaysia Return

Formula 1 will return to Malaysia's Sepang International Circuit later this season for a one-off grand prix, but with an unexpected arrangement: the event will officially be known as the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. The deal comes after regional tensions forced the cancellation of Bahrain's own race, with the kingdom stepping in to fund the Malaysian event and preserve a crucial calendar slot.

Why it matters:

The agreement keeps the 2026 season on track for 23 races while bringing F1 back to a venue well liked by drivers and teams. Sepang has been absent since 2017 due to prohibitive hosting fees, making Bahrain's financial backing essential for this temporary revival. It also underscores F1's reliance on creative partnerships to maintain calendar stability amid global uncertainty.

The details:

• The race will take place at Sepang, roughly 6,000 kilometers from Bahrain, filling the October gap originally intended for the Bahrain GP.
• Bahrain is covering significant portions of the hosting costs, with its national airline, Gulf Air, serving as title sponsor.
• The event was initially conceived as part of a triple header alongside Azerbaijan and Singapore, and the Malaysia slot preserves that logistical flow.
• Malaysia previously hosted F1 from 1999 to 2017 but dropped off when race fees became unsustainable.
• F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali praised the move as proof of the sport's ability to "adapt, find solutions, and deliver."

What's next:

The Malaysian race still requires formal approval from the FIA World Sport Council, though that is widely expected to be a formality. F1 remains cautiously optimistic that the season-ending rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi can proceed as planned, but a decision on those events must come by September to allow teams and Pirelli to finalize freight and tire logistics. If those races fall through, F1 is weighing a standalone December finale, with Imola emerging as a potential last-minute host.